They repent before the icon of the Holy Trinity. What is the Holy Trinity in Orthodoxy? Variants of the image of the New Testament Trinity

The icon of the Holy Trinity is of particular importance for Christians, since it shows what heights of union with God can be achieved if sincerely serve God. This image exists only in the Orthodox faith. The icon depicts three angels who personify the three pilgrims who appeared to Abraham.

The “Holy Trinity” was created with the aim that each person could imagine the three-solar light of Orthodoxy. The believer who looks at the image is able to realize the power and works of the Lord God.

In what way does the meaning of the “Holy Trinity” icon also help?

Prayer petitions offered to the image will help to cope with various trials, find the right path, etc. Regular appeals to the Higher Forces help to get rid of the most powerful dramatic experiences. helps to see the necessary and desired ray of hope. For believers, the "Holy Trinity" icon is important because it helps to solve all the problems that haunt them. Before the icon, you can read confession prayers, which will allow you to cleanse yourself of the existing negativity and sinfulness. It is believed that by talking about his sins in front of the image of the Holy Trinity, the believer is talking almost directly with God.

Where to hang and the meaning of the icon "Holy Trinity"?

It is believed that in the house, icons should be in a certain place. You can have one image, or you can have a whole iconostasis. In Christianity, it is customary to pray while facing east, so the eastern wall is best suited for the "Holy Trinity" icon. There should be enough free space in front of the image so that a person can easily walk up to the icon and plunge into it without discomfort. Understanding where to hang the icon of the Holy Trinity so that it has a special meaning for the family, it is worth mentioning another popular place - the head of the bed. Thus, the face will play the role of a protector. It is customary to hang the icon in front of the front door, since it will protect the house from various negativity. However, it does not matter at all in which room the image is placed, because the main thing is sincere and regular appeals.

The icon can be simply hung on the wall, or you can equip a shelf or a special cabinet. If you use several images in the iconostasis, then the "Holy Trinity" may be higher than all other icons, even the face of the Savior and the Mother of God. It is believed that correctly located icons allow a person to open a window to a brighter and more spiritual one.

This and the previous images of the Holy Trinity are, strictly speaking, non-canonical, although they are not uncommon.

The icons of the Savior, with the exception of the Image Not Made by Hands, do not have special names. The Savior is sometimes depicted in the form of a King sitting on a throne, and is revered as the image of the Lord

Persons of the Holy Trinity, seated next to God the Father, the so-called. "New Testament Trinity". Some depictions of the Crucified Christ are realistic, reflecting His physical and mental suffering; others were written in a conventional manner: the features of the Savior are devoted to an expression of serious calmness and greatness. The Moscow Cathedral of 1667 condemned any images of God the Father. The basis for the resolution of the Council of 1667 was the Holy Scriptures and Holy Tradition. “No one has seen God at any time,” says the Evangelist John, “the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed” (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12). The Seventh Ecumenical Council considered it possible to resolve the image of the Son of God precisely because He, "having taken the form of a slave, became like men and in appearance became like a man" (Phil. 2: 7) and, thanks to this, became accessible to sensual contemplation. As for the essence of God, outside of its disclosure in the Personality of the God-man, it remains hidden and inaccessible not only for sight, but also for reason, for God is the One who "dwells in an unapproachable light, Which no man has seen or seen. maybe "(1 Tim. 6:16). The Lord, out of His boundless love for fallen people, went to meet the eternal thirst to see Him or, at least, to perceive Him sensually. He "gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16), and "a great mystery of piety was accomplished: God appeared in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). Thus, the inaccessible God, in the Person of the Son and the Word of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, became a Man accessible to sight, hearing, touch and, as the Church confirmed at its 7th Council, also an accessible image. Likewise, the symbolic image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove has a biblical basis, for at the baptism of the Savior He descended on Him in the form of a dove. Such an image of the Holy Spirit is canonical, as is the image of Him in the form of tongues of fire descending on the apostles. Although the Moscow Council did not allow the image of the Lord of hosts, this prohibition was consigned to oblivion and He began to be depicted in the form of the "Ancient of Days" (that is, the Elder) on the icons of the "New Testament Trinity" Isa. 6: 1-2; Dan. 7: 9-13; Rev. 5:11). In the Orthodox East, there are icons of the "Old Testament Trinity," which depicts the appearance of God to Abraham in the form of three pilgrims. This image is quite canonical: God was pleased to reveal Himself in this image, which had a deep symbolic meaning, and does not pretend to be a realistic reflection of the Personality. This icon has been widespread since ancient times, both in the Orthodox East and in Russia.

The Tretyakov Gallery also houses the most famous work of Andrei Rublev - the famous "Trinity"... Created in the prime of his creative powers, the icon is the pinnacle of the artist's art.

At the time of Andrei Rublev, the theme of the Trinity, embodying the idea of ​​a triune deity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), was perceived as a symbol of time, a symbol of spiritual unity, peace, harmony, mutual love and humility, willingness to sacrifice oneself for the common good. Sergius of Radonezh founded a monastery near Moscow with the main church in the name of the Trinity, firmly believing that "by looking at the Holy Trinity, fear of the hateful discord of this world was conquered."

The Monk Sergius of Radonezh, under the influence of whose ideas the worldview of Andrei Rublev was formed, was an outstanding personality of his time. He fought for overcoming civil strife, actively participated in the political life of Moscow, contributed to its rise, reconciled the warring princes, and contributed to the unification of the Russian lands around Moscow. A special merit of Sergius of Radonezh was his participation in the preparation of the Battle of Kulikovo, when he helped Dmitry Donskoy with his advice and spiritual experience, strengthened his confidence in the correctness of the chosen path and, finally, blessed the Russian army before the Battle of Kulikovo.

The personality of Sergius of Radonezh had a special authority for his contemporaries, a generation of people of the era of the Kulikovo battle was brought up on his ideas, and Andrei Rublev, as the spiritual heir of these ideas, embodied them in his work.

In the twenties of the 15th century, an artel of masters, led by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny, decorated the Trinity Cathedral in the monastery of St. Sergius with icons and frescoes, erected over his grave. The iconostasis includes the Trinity icon as a highly respected temple image, traditionally placed in the lower (local) row on the right side of the Royal Doors. There is evidence from one of the sources of the 17th century about how the abbot of the monastery Nikon instructed Andrei Rublev “to paint the Holy Trinity in praise of his father, Saint Sergius”.

The plot of the "Trinity" is based on the biblical story about the appearance of the deity to the righteous Abraham in the form of three beautiful young angels. Abraham and his wife Sarah treated the newcomers under the shade of the Mamre oak, and it was given to Abraham to understand that in the angels the deity in three persons was incarnated. Since olden times, there have been several versions of the Trinity, sometimes with details of the feast and episodes of slaughtering a calf and baking bread (in the gallery's collection these are icons of the Trinity of the 14th century from Rostov the Great and the 15th century from Pskov).

In the Rublev icon, attention is focused on the three angels, their condition. They are depicted seated around a throne, in the center of which is placed a Eucharistic bowl with the head of a sacrificial calf, symbolizing the New Testament lamb, that is, Christ. The meaning of this image is sacrificial love.

The left angel, meaning God the Father, blesses the cup with his right hand. The middle angel (the Son), depicted in the gospel garments of Jesus Christ, with his right hand lowered to the throne with a symbolic fingertip, expresses obedience to the will of God the Father and willingness to sacrifice himself in the name of love for people. The gesture of the right angel (Holy Spirit) completes the symbolic conversation between the Father and the Son, affirming the high meaning of sacrificial love, and consoles the doomed to sacrifice. Thus, the image of the Old Testament Trinity (that is, with the details of the plot from the Old Testament) turns into an image of the Eucharist (the Good Sacrifice), symbolically reproducing the meaning of the Gospel Last Supper and the sacrament established on it (communion with bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ). Researchers emphasize the symbolic cosmological meaning of the compositional circle, into which the image is laconic and natural. In the circle they see the reflection of the idea of ​​the Universe, the world, the unity, which embraces the plurality, the cosmos. When comprehending the content of the Trinity, it is important to understand its versatility. The symbolism and ambiguity of the images of the "Trinity" go back to ancient times. For most peoples, such concepts (and images) as a tree, a bowl, a meal, a house (temple), a mountain, a circle, had a symbolic meaning. The depth of Andrei Rublev's awareness in the field of ancient symbolic images and their interpretations, the ability to combine their meaning with the content of Christian dogma, suggest a high level of education, characteristic of the then enlightened society and, in particular, for the artist's likely environment.

The symbolism of the "Trinity" is correlated with its pictorial and stylistic properties. Among them, color is of paramount importance. Since the contemplated deity was a picture of the heavenly mountain world, the artist, with the help of paints, strove to convey the sublime "heavenly" beauty that was revealed to the earthly gaze. The painting of Andrei Rublev, especially of the Zvenigorod rank, is distinguished by special purity of color, nobleness of tonal transitions, the ability to add color to the luminosity of radiance. Light is emitted not only by golden backgrounds, ornamental cuts and assists, but also by the gentle melting of light faces, pure shades of ocher, and the serenely clear blue, pink and green tones of the clothes of angels. The symbolism of the color in the icon is especially noticeable in the leading sound of the blue-blue, called the rublevsky cabbage roll.

Comprehending the beauty and depth of the content, correlating the meaning of the Trinity with the ideas of Sergius of Radonezh about contemplation, moral improvement, peace, harmony, we seem to come into contact with the inner world of Andrei Rublev, his thoughts, embodied in this work.

The image of the New Testament Trinity in Russian art of the 16th century.

The name of this iconographic version - "The New Testament Trinity", as well as the definition of its composition - "Holy See", are the terms adopted in modern art history literature. In the 16th century, judging by the inscriptions preserved on the icons, this image could be called the words of the Easter troparion "In the tomb of the flesh"; "On the throne, with the Father and the Holy Spirit," borrowed from the 109th psalm by the verse "Speech of the Lord to my Lord: sit at my right hand, until I will put all your enemies under your feet." The first version of the inscription, in addition to the famous "Four-Part" icon from the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, which gives a detailed illustration of the troparion, can be seen on the Moscow icon "Lenten Triode" (Tretyakov Gallery, inv. No. 24839), where the image of the New Testament Trinity is included in the composition of the Last Judgment. The same inscription was on the Solovetsky icon of the New Testament Trinity (XVI-XVII centuries) mentioned by V.P. Nikolsky. Examples can be more numerous if we draw attention to the monuments of the 17th century. We see the second version of the inscription on the icon "The Last Judgment" from the village of Lyadiny (GE, inv. No. ERI-230). S.A. Nepein describes the fold of the late 16th century originating from the Vologda Vladychenskaya church. where in the centerpiece was placed an image on the text of Psalm 109: 1. The second variant of the name seems to be more rare. In addition, being included in the composition illustrating the Symbol of Faith, the image of Jesus Christ and the Lord of hosts seated on the throne refers to the words: "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father."

The image of the New Testament Trinity in the iconographic type of the Holy See in Russian art before the 16th century. unknown. Probably, one of the first images of this kind could have been the image on the outer eastern wall of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, which did not come down to us in its original form, but was painted based on the cuttings removed from the previous frescoes and part of the large composition of the Last Judgment in the same cathedral (1513-1515 - 1642-1643). The painting of the outer eastern wall is the only example in Russian art of the 16th century. a representative image of the New Testament Trinity. It is impossible to say whether in every detail this fresco has retained its original composition. This makes it difficult to resolve the issue of the sources of its iconography.

The most favorable material that allows us to trace the addition of the iconography of the New Testament Trinity on Russian soil is the images of the Last Judgment. On the Novgorod icon "The Last Judgment" from the collection of A.V. Morozov (Tretyakov Gallery, inv. No. 14458, second half of the 16th century), the Lord of hosts sits at the top in the center, an unoccupied place is left on his right hand on the throne, which is especially noticeable thanks to the second, also empty, foot. On this side of the throne, at the front edge of the backrest, there is a sacrificial bowl at the top. Between the bowl and the head of Sabaoth, the Holy Spirit is depicted in the form of a dove. On the right, the image of Sabaoth is repeated, but there is no empty seat on the throne nearby. Instead, here we see the image of Jesus Christ surrounded by a mandorla. He is shown approaching the throne of God the Father, which contradicts the inscription that says about sending Christ to earth "to judge the living and the dead." In this icon one can see borrowings from Western compositions. These two scenes on the Novgorod icon in the fresco of the Assumption Cathedral correspond to the "Eternal Council" and

"The sending of Christ to earth", but again the question arises of how much the preserved painting of the 17th century. corresponded to the original composition of the 16th century.

On another Novgorod icon "The Last Judgment" from the Church of Boris and Gleb in Plotniki (Novgorod Museum, inv. No. 2824, mid-16th century), there appears the image formed by the middle of the 16th century. the composition of the New Testament Trinity - Christ and the Lord of hosts are seated on the coprest half-turned to each other, between them is placed the image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Christ's robes are open and he points to a wound in his ribs. A similar image of the Trinity of the New Testament is visible on the famous icon from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. On this icon, the image is formed into a rich and thoughtful iconographic program. I know of only one icon repeating this iconographic program - "The Trinity of the New Testament" in the State Russian Museum (inv. No. J3085, 17th century)

During the second half of the XVI century. the image of the New Testament Trinity is enriched with new details, such as the fallen doors of the heavenly gates borrowed from the scene of the Ascension of Christ (an early example of the "Four-part" icon from the Annunciation Cathedral), a throne with the Gospel placed on it and a standing bowl and a cross and instruments of passion placed next to it (on the icon "Saturday for All Saints" of the Stroganov letter of the late 16th century from the collection of IS Ostroukhov, State Tretyakov Gallery, inv. no. 12113).

The question can be raised, on the one hand, about borrowing from Western art both the iconographic scheme as a whole and individual details of the image of the New Testament Trinity, and on the other hand, about the preconditions that take place in Russian art that open the way for these borrowings and allow rethinking and organically include them in the context of Russian iconographic creativity of the 16th century.

The image of the Trinity on other icons

Baptism (Epiphany). Around 1497

Academician B.V. Rauschenbach. Addiction

". PRESENTING TO THE HOLY TRINITY"

The doctrines of the Trinity are among the fundamental, and it is not surprising, therefore, that icons of the Trinity are found very often. Suffice it to recall, for example, the classic Russian five-tiered iconostasis, in which the Trinity icon is placed in the center of the forefather row, then in the row of holidays and, in addition, in the local row. It is quite natural that the icons of the Trinity have long attracted close attention of researchers, especially the icons of the Old Testament Trinity, which have more ancient roots than the New Testament Trinity. Undoubtedly, this is due to the fact that the Monk Andrei Rublev wrote his "Trinity", following precisely the ancient iconography.

If we analyze the very extensive literature devoted to the "Trinity of Rublev, it becomes obvious that the authors paid the main attention to the artistic features of the outstanding work of human genius. The connection of the icon with difficult historical circumstances inherent in the time of its writing was not left out. In recent years, many researchers have turned to the question of which of the angels depicted on it corresponds to which Person. Opinions are expressed very differently. Most often, the average angel is identified either with the Father or with Son, and depending on the choice made, the correspondence of the lateral angels to the other two Persons is determined. The number of possible combinations here is quite large, and I must say that the authors give many interesting arguments to confirm their points of view. But there is still a long way to go to an unambiguous answer to this question. but, it will never be found. The most complete and critical consideration of this problem can be found in the book by L. Mueller.

There is no doubt, however, that the problem of identifying angels and persons is of secondary importance. After all, no matter how the question of the correspondence between angels and Persons is decided, the Trinity continues to be only a Trinity. Only the interpretation of gestures changes, but not the cardinal quality of the icon, which is natural to consider the completeness of the expression of the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity. Indeed, in the Orthodox Church, an icon is not just an illustration explaining Holy Scripture (which is quite acceptable for Catholics), but organically enters the liturgical life. It will be shown below that for Rublev this completeness of expression reaches its maximum. Considering the icons of the Trinity from the point of view of the completeness of the expression of dogmatic doctrine, it is interesting to trace how this expression gradually improves and how, as the theological rigor is weakened when writing icons, it becomes clouded. In addition, the proposed approach makes it possible to analyze the icons of the Old Testament Trinity and the New Testament Trinity from a single point of view, compare them in essence, but, not referring to different iconographic types and considering in accordance with this separately, without connection with each other.

In order to streamline the analysis that follows, it is helpful to summarize in the most concise form the main qualities that the Trinity possesses in the teaching of the Church.

1. Trinity

2. Consubstantiation

3. Inseparability

4. Co-presence

5. Specificity

6. Interaction

The six qualities formulated here and related issues were discussed in my previous article. The listed qualities could be called structural and logical, because they define precisely these aspects of the doctrine of the Trinity. In addition, the Trinity is also: 7. Saint; 8. Lively and initial.

It seems that the latter definitions do not need any commentary.

When considering the evolution of the completeness of the expression of the Trinity dogma in icons, it would seem natural to start with the oldest examples and end with modern ones. However, another way seems more expedient: first, turn to the highest achievement in the matter of such expression - the icon of the Monk Andrei Rublev, and then proceed to an analysis of the types of icons that preceded and followed it. This will allow us to more clearly identify the features of other icons, the weakening of the fullness of the expression of dogma in them, having before our eyes the highest example. Much of what Rublev used goes back to earlier icon-painting traditions, but when analyzing his "Trinity" it will not be mentioned. It will become clear with the subsequent reference to more ancient icons.

Many intuitively felt that the fact that Rublev's "Trinity" bears in itself a high completeness of the expression of dogma. This is best evidenced by the unpublished work of VN Shchepkin, in which he, nevertheless, absolutely rightly writes that Rublev created "a direct embodiment of the main dogma of Christianity" and, further, that "poetic thought about dogma is diffused in the icon everywhere" ... In a similar sense, one can interpret the thought of Father Pavel Florensky that the icon of the Trinity is "Rublev". has already ceased to be one of the images of facial life, and her relation to Mamvra is already a rudiment. This icon shows in a striking vision the Most Holy Trinity - a new revelation, although under the cover of old and, undoubtedly, less significant forms. "

The analysis of how fully and by what artistic means Rublev has embodied the dogma of the Trinity in his icon will be carried out in the same sequence that was proposed above. The first quality in this series was named trinity . It is possible to show that three Persons make up one God only when they are depicted on one icon (therefore, it is inconceivable here that which is often done in the icons of the Annunciation, where the Mother of God and the Archangel Gabriel - for example, on the royal doors - are depicted on separate icons that make up in turn, a single composition). An additional and very significant technique is the prohibition on inscribing halos on Persons and using instead a unifying inscription representing the Triad in the form of a Monad: "The Most Holy Trinity". This is also related to the prohibition on the separation of Persons by depicting different halos. The foregoing suggests that, without giving a clear distinction of the Faces in his icon, Rublev acted from dogmatic considerations. But if this is so, then the "decoding" of the "characters", which is now often attempted to be produced, to a certain extent loses its meaning, becoming a secondary matter.

The second quality to be discussed is consistency . It is conveyed by Rublev very simply: the three angels depicted are completely of the same type. There are no visible differences between them, and this is enough for the emergence of a sensation of consubstantiality. As for inseparability, then it is symbolized by the sacrificial bowl on the throne. The cup is justly interpreted as a symbol of the Eucharist. But the Eucharist unites people into the Church, therefore, in this case, too, the chalice unites three Persons into a certain unity. Such a subtle connoisseur of theology of veneration of icons, like L.A. Uspensky, says this about it: the throne, the Eucharistic chalice with the head of a sacrificial animal. It tightens the movements of the hands. " The sacrificial bowl - the semantic and compositional center of the icon - is the same for all three angels, and this also suggests that we have a Monad in front of us.

Transfer on the icon co-essence is a very difficult task. After all, this means that the three Persons exist only together (this is already indicated by their inseparability) and always. But "always" is a category of time, and it is extremely difficult to convey time by means at the disposal of the fine arts. Only indirect methods are possible here. Rublev very subtly and successfully uses this opportunity. Turning to all the means available to him (composition, line, color), he creates a feeling of silence, peace and stop time. This is facilitated by the fact that the angels conduct silent conversation. After all, an ordinary conversation requires the uttering of words, it takes time, and if Rublev had depicted such a conversation, time would have entered the icon. In a silent conversation, images and emotions are exchanged, not words. After all, emotions can arise instantly and last indefinitely. It is not for nothing that such concepts as "love at first sight" or "eternal love" have appeared. Similarly, images: a person is able to immediately imagine a beautiful landscape. If you try to convey love or a landscape in words, then time will be necessary for this, and in words it is impossible to adequately convey such subtle feelings as love. In this sense, the image and emotions will always be richer and brighter than words. As a result of the totality of the means used by Rublev, it seems that three angels have been sitting and talking for an infinitely long time and will continue to sit here for just as long. They are outside the bustling and hurrying world of people - they are in eternity. But in eternity, time does not flow, it is all entirely in it. What is in eternity really becomes intrinsic , always existing.

Specificity The person is a kind of opposition to consubstantiality. Consubstantiation does not mean the complete identity of Persons, they are not impersonal. As P.A. Florensky very successfully formulated, the Trinity dogma makes Persons distinguishable, but not different. In Rublev, specificity is shown very simply: angels have different poses, they wear different clothes. But the simplicity of this technique allows at the same time to achieve the fact that the specificity of Rublev is not striking. He very subtly and restrainedly conveys the differences of Persons while emphasizing their consubstantiality, which is fully consistent with the Church's doctrine of the Trinity.

Interaction The faces are conveyed by Rublev in the form of a silent conversation of angels. It has already been said above that the three Persons do not just coexist, but are in close interaction: the Son is born, and the Holy Spirit comes from the Father. But it is unthinkable to depict the birth and procession on the icon, especially since due to the incomprehensibility of God we do not know the exact meaning of the words birth and origin and I cannot imagine it. Of course, the interaction of Persons is not limited only to these two points included in the Symbol of Faith, but is more versatile. Therefore, the image of interaction in the form of a silent conversation, or rather, an exchange of images and indescribable words-emotions, is quite reasonable as a method of visual representation of heavenly interaction.

Holiness The Trinity is emphasized by the nimbuses of the three Persons, by the fact that they are depicted in the form of angels, and, in addition, by the fact that in the background of the icon, on the right, a mountain is shown, which also embodies the symbol of holiness.

Life-giving characterizes the tree of life behind the middle angel. This is the appearance of the Mam-Vri oak in Rublev, in the shade of which Abraham regaled the Trinity. So the everyday detail - the oak - became a symbol for Rublev, appropriate when depicting the mountain world.

A brief analysis carried out here showed that all the fundamental components of a rather complex threefold dogma were conveyed by Rublev with amazing accuracy and precisely by artistic means. Of course, the meaning of Rublev's icon is not limited only to finding worthy pictorial means for this purpose. Researchers of the work of St. Andrew quite rightly pointed out, for example, that the sacrificial bowl on the throne symbolizes the voluntary sacrifice of the Son, and interpreted the gestures of the angels accordingly. They also found that the interaction of the depicted angels (through their postures and gestures) speaks of the love that binds Persons into Unity. All these and other considerations of a similar type are certainly interesting, they try to understand the life of God in Himself, but they are not directly related to the issue that is being discussed here: the problem of the completeness of the transmission of the Trinity dogma in icons. Finishing the analysis of Rublev's Trinity, I would like to emphasize that, starting from the Old Testament story of the meeting of Abraham with God, Rublev deliberately removed from the icon everything that was mundane, and gave an amazing image of the heavenly world. This is probably what Father Pavel Florensky had in mind when he said that the icon shows the Most Holy Trinity, and its relation to Mamvra is already a rudiment.

In the time preceding Rublev, all the icons of the Trinity were painted according to the type known as the "Hospitality of Abraham". Here, not only the Trinity was depicted, but also Abraham and Sarah, treating dear guests, sometimes the slaughter of a calf by a youth. This immediately reduced the emerging image, brought it closer to everyday earthly life - it no longer represented the heavenly world, but the world below, which, it is true, was visited by God. It should be noted here that compositions depicting the Trinity in the form of three angels existed before Rublev, but the absence of Abraham and Sarah in them is explained quite simply: there was not enough space for their depiction. Such compositions are found only on panagias, the bottoms of small vessels and in other cases when the icon painter was greatly limited by the size of the field provided to him. As soon as the size of the sacred image increased, Abraham and Sarah were sure to appear in the field of view.

The first images of the Old Testament Trinity appeared in the Roman catacombs. Of the later images that have come down to us, it is necessary, first of all, to mention the mosaics of the 5th century (Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome) and the 6th century (San Vitale, Ravenna). For all these works, it is characteristic that here the authors were not too concerned with the transmission of the Trinity dogma by artistic means, they are more interested in the exact adherence to the text of the Old Testament, which speaks of the manifestation of God to Abraham: his tent, in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three men stood against him "(Gen. 18: 1-2). In full agreement with this text, the Persons of the Trinity are depicted as husbands, not angels. From the Trinity dogma, one can see here only a weakened transmission of holiness (only halos), trinity and consubstantiality. Specificity, distinction of persons is completely absent, just like inseparability, co-essence, interaction and vivacity. Later, and by the 11th century everywhere, Persons are already depicted in the form of angels, which indicates a desire to strengthen the external signs of Their level of holiness: on the table at which Abraham's guests sit, a sacrificial bowl appeared, but other "cutlery" ", as a result of which the scene does not acquire the deepest symbolic meaning, as in Rublev's.

The desire to be closer to the text of the Old Testament leads to the emergence of a specific iconography of the Trinity: the middle angel is depicted sharply different from the side ones, he clearly stands at a higher level of the hierarchy. Sometimes the halo of this angel is baptized, i.e. tells the angel the signs of Jesus Christ. Such iconography goes back to the interpretation of the appearance of God to Abraham, widespread in its time, according to which not three Persons of the Trinity appeared to him, but Christ accompanied by two angels. The Old Testament text provides a basis for such an interpretation, but then the depicted is no longer the Trinity (although the corresponding inscription confirms this), since here, perhaps, the main thing in the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity is consubstantiality. Some icon painters, realizing the inadmissibility of departing from the dogmatic doctrine of consubstantiality, make the nimbus of all three angels baptized, although such a nimbus is appropriate only when depicting Christ and is completely excluded when depicting the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Over the centuries, the completeness of the transmission of the Trinity dogma achieved by the 11th century remains almost unchanged. Only slight gains can be noted. Angels begin to interact more intensively, the Mamvrian oak is now depicted conventionally, not as "realistically" as on the Ravenna mosaic, and can be interpreted as tree of life(although in many cases he is not depicted at all). This suggests that icon painters understand the need to depict not only the hospitality of Abraham, but also the transmission of the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity. One could consider from this point of view the numerous icons of the Trinity of the 11th-14th centuries and for each of them formulate the degree of completeness of the transmission of the Trinity dogma, following the methodology used above for the analysis of Rublev's Trinity. However, such an analysis, which is useful in the study of any particular icon, is of little use when referring to a large array of icons. The fact is that the average statistical conclusion that such an analysis would lead to would only indicate that the level of compliance with dogma in these icons is always lower than that of Rublev.

The appearance in the 15th century of Rublev's Trinity was not the result of gradual development, it was a leap, something explosive. With amazing courage, the artist completely excludes the scenes of hospitality, removes everything else. The table is no longer lined with "cutlery" according to the number of people eating - it is no longer a joint meal that can unite the members of a single partnership, but the Eucharist, which unites not into a partnership, but into the Church. Rublev manages to make the person contemplating the icon sees complete ternary dogma. In the pre-Rublev era, conventionally speaking, there should have been a commentator at the icons, who would explain and supplement the depicted, since their content from the point of view of the embodiment of dogma was always incomplete. Here, for the first time, such a commentator turned out to be superfluous. It is not surprising that immediately after the appearance of Trinity, Rublev's iconography - with various versions - began to spread rapidly in Russia.

The further development of the Trinity iconography, in which the icon painters tried to "improve" what Rublev had achieved, only confirmed the obvious: if the maximum is reached in some business, then any deviation from it, in whatever direction it is done, will mean deterioration. Surprisingly, the main and widespread "improvements" in Rublev's iconography, first of all, concerned the "setting" of the table. Here again appear some mugs, bowls, jugs and similar items. In this respect, the Trinity by Simon Ushakov from the Gatchina Palace (1671) is very characteristic, almost exactly repeating the Rublev iconography in form and noticeably departing from it in essence. Not only numerous "cutlery" lowers the high symbolism of Rublev to the level of everyday life, but also tree of life again becomes an oak tree, under the shade of which the Trinity sits. The completely conventional chambers, symbolizing the house-building of the Holy Trinity in Rublev, are transformed by Ushakov into a spatial and intricate architectural ensemble of the Italian type. The whole icon becomes an image of a certain everyday scene, but in no way symbol of the mountain world.

Another example typical of the 17th century is the Trinity icon from the Trinity Church in Nikitniki in Moscow. Its authors are presumably Yakov Kazanets and Gavrila Kondratyev (mid-17th century). Everything that has been said above about the "Trinity" by Simon Ushakov is also visible here: a richly served table under the shade of a spreading oak tree, and the architecture of bizarre chambers in the background, but there is also something new: an appeal to the theme of Abraham's hospitality, i.e. rejection of the image of the heavenly world (where Abraham and Sarah are inappropriate) and a return to the transmission on the icon of the world below. This is characteristic not only of this icon, but also of icon painting in the 16th-17th centuries in general. The decline in interest in a lofty dogma and an increase in interest in the possibility of a realistic depiction of people's lives can be clearly traced (especially in the 17th century). One gets the impression that the icon is becoming a pretext for creating everyday scenes by pictorial means. Returning to the discussed icon, it should be noted its increased narrative. Here you can see not only the Trinity sitting at the table, but also the whole story about it: first the scene of the meeting of Abraham with the Trinity, then Abraham washing the feet of three angels, then the main semantic center - the meal and, finally, the departure of the Trinity, and Abraham's farewell to her ... A similar narrative shows that the Old Testament text is rather a reason for the icon painter's imagination. It is much easier to create such a composition evolving in time from a series of almost everyday scenes than to do what Rublev managed to do: to exclude time from an icon and thereby make one feel eternity.

The deviation from dogmatic doctrine in the icons of the 17th century is fully consistent with the decline in the level of theological thought and the weakening of holiness noted at that time. The noted evolution thus turns out to be not an accidental phenomenon, but a completely natural consequence of the ongoing secularization of all life in the country. If we return to the discussion of the dogmatic completeness in the icons of the Trinity of that time, then the increase in the number of icons of the New Testament Trinity, which in the previous centuries were the rarest exception, is striking.

Many theologians rightly noted the danger of rationalizing the Trinity dogma, which often led to heretical constructions. The gravitation towards rationalization is, as a rule, based on the desire to make this dogma "understandable", to harmonize it with the usual ideas. The icons of the New Testament Trinity can be interpreted as a kind of rationalization performed by artistic means. Indeed, instead of the symbolic representation of the three Persons in the form of angels, a more "intelligible" form is used. The Second Person of the Trinity is depicted as is customary on all icons of the Savior, the third Person is depicted in the form of a dove (which, strictly speaking, is appropriate only on the icons of "Baptism"). Such a choice of a symbol for the image of the Holy Spirit is quite natural: if it is depicted as a tongue of flame (as in the icons "Descent of the Holy Spirit") or in the form of a cloud (as on Mount Tabor), then the problem of the composition of the icon would become practically insoluble. As for the first Person - the Father, here he is shown as "old of days", based on questionable interpretations of the visions of the prophets Isaiah and Daniel. As you can see, in this case, too, an attempt at rationalization, the desire for clarity led, in fact, to a kind of "heresy", to a departure from the decrees of the VII Ecumenical Council. This was understood by many, and by the decrees of the Great Moscow Cathedral (1553-1554), icons of this type were actually prohibited. The prohibition was not, however, enforced, since the number of such icons was already large, and they seemed to be legitimized by church practice. Issues related to this are discussed in detail in the monograph by L.A. Uspensky.

In all icons of this type, a departure from the dogmatic doctrine of the consubstantiality of Persons (or, at least, its unacceptable weakening) is striking. If one can speak of the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son depicted in the icon, since both are represented in the form of people, then there can be no question of the consubstantiality of man and the dove. Here again, next to the icon, a commentator should be placed, explaining that the Holy Spirit, nevertheless, is consubstantial with the Father and the Son. Compared with the icons of the Old Testament Trinity, in which the consubstantiality visible this is not the case here: the icon painter, as it were, demonstrates his inability to convey by pictorial means the most important position of the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity.

The icons of the New Testament Trinity are usually written of two types, which are known as "Holy See" and "Fatherland". In the icons of the first type, the Father and the Son are depicted sitting side by side on an altar, and the Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove hovering in the air between them, just above their heads. Since the New Testament Trinity is fundamentally different from those considered earlier, let us repeat its analysis for compliance with the above-stated need for completeness of expression of the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity, meaning the "Coprest" option.

Trinity shown here, as before, in the form of a joint image of three Persons on one icon. As for the prohibition on the inscriptions of halos, now it makes no sense, because Persons are depicted in different ways, and besides, as a rule, they have different halos: Christ is baptized, the Father is eight-pointed, the Holy Spirit is ordinary. But the trinity, albeit not as perfect as before, is shown.

The transmission of the most important position of the Trinity dogma - consubstantiality- it turns out to be impossible to implement, as already mentioned above. The same can be said about inseparability . Rublev used the unifying symbolism of the Eucharist to give this quality clarity, but here nothing (except, of course, a conventional commentator) prevents the Persons from "dispersing" in different directions, each according to his own business. Co-presence is a quality associated with time, with eternity. It was shown above how subtly and skillfully Rublev managed to convey this eternity, using various indirect methods. There is nothing of the kind here. Moreover, the icons of the New Testament Trinity give reason to deny it. Having shown the Father as an old man and the Son as a younger man, the icon gives the right to assume that there was a time when the Father already existed, and the Son did not yet, which is contrary to the Creed. Here again, a conditional commentator is needed to deny the absence of the co-essence of Persons in the icon. For the icons of the Old Testament Trinity, such a comment is not required - angels are always depicted as if "of the same age." Specificity The faces are very strongly expressed - they all have a completely different appearance. It can even be argued that this specificity is shown overly emphasized, to the detriment of consubstantiality. The icon painter is not able to do what Rublev succeeded in showing both at the same time. Interaction The faces are depicted, as in Rublev's, but weakened - in the form of a conversation between the Father and the Son, in which the Holy Spirit (dove), of course, cannot take part. Holiness of Faces is expressed through halos, vitality - not identified in any way.

If we turn to another version of the New Testament Trinity - "Fatherland", then almost everything that has been said remains valid here. In the icons of this type, the Father seems to be holding on his knees (or in his bosom?) The Son, who is now represented as the Child Christ (Savior Emannuil). This further enhances the undesirable appearance of the difference in their "ages", which was mentioned above. Such iconography tries to convey the inconceivable - the birth of the Son from the Father. Perhaps this is the only thing that the interaction of the first two Persons shown here boils down to. The Holy Spirit no longer hovers above, but is visible on a large medallion that the Son holds in his hands, and, of course, again in the form of a dove.

As follows from what has been said, the completeness of the expression of the Trinity dogma in the icons of the New Testament Trinity is very small, even if we compare them with the "Trinity" not of Rublev, but with the entire set of icons of the Old Testament Trinity. As for the icons "Fatherland", here you can see not only an insufficiently complete transmission of dogmatic teaching, but even a distortion of it. As already noted, the composition of the icon speaks of the desire to show the inconceivable - the birth of the Son from the Father; but this is not enough, an attempt is made on the icon to show the procession of the Holy Spirit. The medallion with the Holy Spirit - a dove - is held in the hands of the Son, and the Father himself, and this testifies that the icon is closer to the Symbol of Faith distorted by the Catholics, according to which the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, than to the Orthodox Nikeo-Constantinople Symbol , according to which the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father.

Summing up the analysis of various icons of the Trinity from the point of view of the transmission of the Trinity dogma in them, it can be stated that in different periods the completeness of this transmission was also different. Initially, it intensified; over time, icon painters strove for an ever more complete expression of dogma, reaching the greatest completeness in Rublev. Then interest in dogmatic teaching begins to wane, icons are getting closer and closer to illustrations for the texts of Holy Scripture, and, accordingly, their theological depth decreases. There are even icons of the New Testament Trinity, in which the dogmatic side is of little interest to the icon painter. He is now striving to make the icon "more intelligible", allows himself what the clerk Viskovaty called "self-thinking" and "Latin wisdom". All this speaks of the decline of church consciousness in the 17th century, however, this is already a different topic.

Any church holiday is, if you like, a multi-layer cake with a wide variety of fillings. There are all flavor combinations - from classic to original.

So the holiday of the Trinity fits perfectly into these patterns. Church canons, biblical stories and, of course, folk traditions - all this is engraved in the cultural memory.

And also - on the canvases of immortal canvases that have survived to this day. Famous photos of the Trinity, legendary icons, masterpieces of world painting - all this can be seen right now.

Who does not know the icons of the Holy Trinity? Andrei Rublev immediately comes to mind, although, of course, there are other canon images.

For example, the Zyryan icon of the Trinity. It was created in the 14th century by Komi-Zyryan masters. And the inscriptions on the canvas are made in the ancient Permian language. The photo of the icon shows that a plant is depicted on top of the Holy Trinity - this is a symbol of Abraham's oak.

And where is the oak? This is discussed in detail in the next section.

Old Testament Trinity 16th century

It is interesting that the first symbolic meeting with the Trinity was described in the Old Testament, many centuries before the appearance of Christ and the Holy Spirit on earth.

Everyone knows Abraham - the ancestor of the Israeli people. His wife Sarah could not conceive for a long time, although God promised Abraham a huge offspring. This paradox was easily resolved thanks to a miracle: a 90-year-old woman became pregnant by a 100-year-old man, and the first child was finally born in the family.

And exactly one year before this event, three very unusual travelers came to Abraham. The owner received them very hospitably, although for a long time he did not realize that they were God's messengers.

Everything went according to the classical canons - the guests were enjoying their meal, when suddenly one of them said that in a year Abraham would have a son. It was hard to believe, and Sarah, who had unwittingly overheard the conversation, even grinned. In the end, however, everything happened exactly as the messengers said.

It is believed that these were three angels who were the prototype of the triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These legendary events took place in a sacred oak forest called Mamre.

That is why many icons of the Holy Trinity always depict an oak branch.

Left and right, as you might guess, depicts Abraham and Sarah. They were called to serve the Lord, because he performed a great miracle for them - at such a venerable age, the couple had their first (and only) son. And in the center of the canvas we see the image of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

If we talk about who is depicted in this icon of the Holy Trinity, then everything corresponds to the church canons: on the left is God the Father (first hypostasis), in the center is God the Son (second hypostasis) and on the right is God the Holy Spirit (third hypostasis).

Old Testament Trinity 16-17 centuries

Such icons are called Old Testament icons. The images were created by masters in the 16th and 17th centuries. Here, for example, is the creation of the icon painter Simon Ushakov, dated 1671. Today the canvas is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Icon "Trinity" by Simon Ushakov

It is not hard to guess what is depicted on the icon of the Holy Trinity - this is the image of the triune God. Moreover, on the icon of Ushakov, we see only three faces of the Lord, without other heroes.

Subsequently, this image was subjected to repeated creative rethinking, although the plot and forms remained the same.

Holy Trinity in Being

Since this story is described in the book of Genesis (chapter 18), below is a photo of the icon of the Holy Trinity in life. This is a real canvas, which symbolically depicts an oak from the sacred place of Mamre, and a conversation between Abraham and Sarah at the table with the triune God.

And the meaning of this icon with the Trinity in being is somewhat different. On the canvas we see that same promised son - a boy named Isaac. The Lord fulfilled his vow and performed a miracle.

And today it has not changed at all, which means that miracles happen in our century.

Old Testament Trinity with walking

This icon with the Holy Trinity has a similar meaning, the photo of which is shown below. Those legendary travelers obviously came from afar. And after meeting with Abraham, they disappeared as quickly as they appeared.

This walk became a good sign, because exactly a year later the long-awaited heir appeared in the family. The Old Testament Trinity icon with walking (or walking) conveys this joy well. And here the plot is complemented by how the son of Isaac sacrifices a ram.

This image reflects the famous story of how Abraham almost stabbed his own son, whom God demanded to be offered as a sacrifice. Abraham almost obeyed this order, but the angel stopped him in time.

Thus, the Lord tested the faithfulness of his servant - and the result was beyond expectations. And then, as a sacrifice, they killed the very ram on which the depicted Isaac sits.

Icon Trinity - 14th century

The same theme is developed by the icon of the Trinity, the photo of which looks like this.

The scene of the feast itself is well shown here: you can see with what reverence Abraham and Sarah serve the triune God. Today this creation of the 14th century is kept in the Hermitage.

Trinity of Andrei Rublev

So, it is clear who is depicted in the icon of the Holy Trinity, but what does it mean? The answer can be found on the famous painting by Andrei Rublev, which is also known as "The Hospitality of Abraham" (15th century).

This is a classic image, the contemplation of which really sets one to think about the eternal. If you look at the icon for a long time, you get the impression that the same face is drawn.

This has its own deep meaning: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the triune God. One as three, and three as one - here it is, the incomprehensible essence of divine nature.

Trinity in salary (icon)

And this image is not even a picture, but a kind of golden case - a frame, under which the well-known icon of Andrei Rublev is hidden. It would seem who and why needed to hide this work of art under a layer of gold?

The idea came to Ivan the Terrible, who did not want the shrine to be visible even to the closest circle. Interestingly, shortly after the death of the tsar, his successor Boris Godunov ordered to cover the image with another layer of gold, as well as diamonds and sapphires.

It is symbolic that such a "case" lived for more than 4 centuries and largely preserved the classical image from the destructive effects of time. But nevertheless, the shrine itself turned out to be eternal, and not the golden layer.

In 1904, the restorer Vasily Guryanov removed the sediment, and then the very Trinity that many people know today, even those who are far from religion, appeared in the eyes of everyone.

Well, “life is short, art is eternal” (lat. Vita brevis, ars longa"), As the ancients said.

Holy Trinity - Titian

The Trinity plot was used to create both iconographic images and secular paintings, many of which were included in the golden collection of world painting.

This is one of the most unusual, pretentious images of the Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are seated in heaven, in their hands are symbols of power - a scepter and orb. The painting was painted almost 500 years ago.

Trinity: Renaissance

This photo of the icon of the Holy Trinity Day looks very cozy thanks to the abundance of sand and amber color. The image of the triune God is made quite symbolically: the Son converses with the Father, giving him the crown.

And somewhere in the distance, where God points with his finger, the Holy Spirit flies in the form of a dove. Angels in the sky, people on earth are a harmonious sight that sets you up for a peaceful mood.

Non-canonical images of the Holy Trinity: the coronation of the Mother of God

In general, nothing is said about the crowning of the Virgin Mary, as well as about Jesus or the Holy Spirit. However, the Mother of God is recognized as a saint by all branches of the Christian religion. And according to the beliefs of the believers, she, too, was ascended to heaven immediately after her death.

It was then that her coronation took place. And this event is somehow reflected in the church calendar. Orthodox Christians, for example, celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos. This happens every year on 28 August in a new style.

The plot of the coronation is interpreted in different ways. For example, the painting by Diego Velazquez depicts how Mary is crowned by the Father and the Son.

And Ridolfo Ghirlandaio depicted how Christ himself crowns the Virgin in heaven. And in honor of this event, the angels play solemn music.

Worship of the Holy Trinity

And this is not just a photo of the Holy Trinity, but a real panorama, which, without exaggeration, can be looked at for hours. The work of Albrecht Dürer, created by him in 1511, is today kept in the famous Vienna Museum of Art History.

On the main plane is the crucifixion of Christ. A little further - the Father, who by great mercy himself gave the Son as a sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. Higher still, in the heavens, the Holy Spirit soars in the form of a dove. It evokes a sense of serenity and freedom. In the same place, in heaven, we can see numerous angels.

Well, just below, on two tiers, there are people worshiping the Trinity. These are the saved souls who remained in heaven after the Last Judgment - now they will eternally bliss and glorify the triune God.

Fresco Masaccio "Trinity"

But this fresco is almost 600 years old. It was painted by the famous Florentine artist Masaccio, who was given a very short life - the painter did not live to be 27 years old. However, this did not prevent him from perpetuating his memory in the form of priceless masterpieces of world painting.

The fresco depicts the crucified Christ, but unlike most such images, in the background we see the Father supporting him.

Icon "Trinity" by Jerome Kosido

The Trinity plot was quite often used by the masters of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to create magnificent paintings. They depicted the faces of the triune God, the crucifixion of Christ, the ministry of Abraham to the three angels.

These images, of course, do not refer to icons. Moreover, even among secular paintings, they can be found much less often than, for example, the coronation of the Virgin.

The tradition of painting three faces in one person was laid by the master of the late Renaissance, Hieronymus Cosido. Such pictures were intended to show the triune nature of God and how to explain to unbelievers this most important position of the Christian faith.

However, this style has never been able to take root. Of course, everyone's tastes are different, but in this case, you can feel a clear dissonance.

Thus, the question of which Saints are depicted in the Trinity icon is not entirely correct. Indeed, on canvases, God himself is always depicted in his three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And Abraham and Sarah are his faithful servants who remained loyal to the Lord to the end.

Therefore, the icon of the Holy Trinity is not only an image of the triune God, but also a visible proof that the Almighty fulfills his promises, which means that all our bright desires will come true.

The Holy Trinity

The disclosure of the Trinity dogma is the main theological thought of the Feast of Pentecost. To express it in the image, the Orthodox Church adopted the icon of the Holy Trinity, which conveys the biblical scene of the appearance of three pilgrims to the forefather Abraham at the oak of Mamre. As an indication of their belonging to the heavenly world, they are depicted in the form of three winged angels. This image, based on a specific historical event, conveys the first appearance of God to man, marking the beginning of the promise of redemption. Both iconography and worship link the beginning of this promise with its completion on the day of Pentecost, when the final revelation of the Holy Trinity is given. In other words, the icon of the Trinity unites together the beginning of the Old Testament Church with the establishment of the New Testament Church.

In the fifth book of the "Evangelical Evidence" of Eusebius of Caesarea, quoted by St. John Damascus in the third word in defense of the holy icons, regarding the words "God appeared to Abraham at the oak of Mamvriysk", there is a message that the image of the Holy Trinity in the form of three angels existed from ancient times at the place where three pilgrims appeared to Abraham. This image arose in connection with the special veneration by both Jews and pagans of the place of appearance at the oak of Mamre, where pagan sacrifices were also performed.

Holy Trinity. Andrey Rublev. 1408-1412 or about 1425 Tretyakov Gallery

What character this image had, we do not know. In any case, since antiquity, the Holy Trinity has been portrayed as a historical biblical scene with angels sitting at a meal under an oak tree, serving them Abraham and Sarah, and Abraham's mansions in the background. In the foreground is often the servant killing the calf. The position of the angels, with the apparent homogeneity of the scene represented, varied depending on the interpretations that were applied to this biblical event and the dogmatic thought that needed to be emphasized. For example, some holy fathers understood the visit of Abraham by three pilgrims as a phenomenon, albeit indirect, of the entire Holy Trinity, while others understood it as the appearance of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity accompanied by two angels.

The hospitality of Abraham. Painting of the catacomb on Via Latina. Rome. IV century

The appearance of the angels to Abraham. The hospitality of Abraham. Mosaic of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Rome. 430-440

This interpretation does not change the understanding of this event as a phenomenon of the Trinity, for since each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity possesses the fullness of deity, then the presence of the Son with two angels can be understood as an image of the Trinity. In this sense, this phenomenon is interpreted by the liturgical texts, which definitely speak of it as a manifestation of the Holy Trinity: “You saw as it is powerfully for a person to see the Trinity, and you treated you as a friend, blessed Abraham”; "Anciently accepts the Divinity of the One Trinitarian sacred Abraham ...". In connection with the teachings of the Church and the interpretation of the fathers, the depicted angels are sometimes arranged according to the principle of isocephaly, that is, sitting side by side at the table as equal in dignity to each other, which emphasizes the equality of the Hypostases of the Holy Trinity when they do not merge (for example, in the mosaic of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, 5th century, or in the Cotton Bible of the same time in the British Museum in London). In addition, this equality is sometimes emphasized by the uniform color of the clothes of angels (for example, in the mosaic of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, 6th century) and their attributes. In other cases, the composition is built in a pyramidal manner, with the middle angel emphasizing as the main one among the others.

The image of the three biblical pilgrims in the form of angels for many centuries was the only iconography of the Holy Trinity, and in the Orthodox Church it still exists today as the only iconography that corresponds to her teachings.

The image of the Trinity found the fullest correspondence with the teachings of the Church in the greatest work, both in its content and in artistic expression, known as Rublev's Trinity, written by St. Andrew for the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, believed to have been between 1408 and 1425 and currently in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. As in other, earlier icons of the Trinity, three angels are depicted here, but the circumstances of their appearance are bypassed in silence. The mansions of Abraham, an oak and a mountain are represented, but Abraham and Sarah themselves are absent. Without abolishing the historical aspect of the event, St. Andrew reduced it to a minimum, due to which the main significance was acquired not by the biblical event as such, but by its dogmatic meaning. This icon differs from others and the main form of its composition is a circle. Passing along the upper part of the middle angel's halo and cutting off partially at the bottom of the foot, this circle includes all three figures, barely noticeably showing through in their outlines. Such a composition of the Trinity is found earlier, but only on panagias, small round icons, and on the bottoms of sacred vessels. However, there this composition is due to the very form of the object and the lack of free space, and not dogmatic thought. Having placed the figures of angels in a circle, St. Andrey united them in one common, smooth and sliding movement along the line of the circle. Thanks to this, the central angel, although higher than the others, does not suppress them or dominate them. The nimbus of his tilted head, deviating from the vertical axis of the circle, and the feet shifted to the other side, further enhance this movement, in which both the oak and the mountain are involved. However, at the same time, this nimbus tilted to one side and the feet shifted to the other side restores the balance of the composition, and the movement is delayed by the monumental immobility of the left angel and the mansions of Abraham above him. And yet, “wherever we turn our gaze, everywhere we find echoes of the basic circular melody, linear correspondences, forms arising from other forms or serving as their mirror reflection, lines drawing beyond the edges of the circle or intertwining in its middle, are inexpressible in words, but a symphonic richness of forms, volumes, lines and color spots that bewitches the eye ”.

Fatherland with selected saints. Novgorod. The beginning of the 15th century. State Tretyakov Gallery

Holy See (Trinity of the New Testament). Moscow. The beginning of the 18th century Gim

In the icon at. Andrei - both action, expressed in gestures, and communication, expressed in tilting heads and turning figures, and motionless, silent peace. This inner life, uniting three figures enclosed in a circle and communicating with what surrounds them, reveals the entire inexhaustible depth of this image. He seems to be repeating the words of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, according to the interpretation of which “circular movement means the identity and simultaneous possession of the middle and the final, that which contains and that which is contained, as well as the return to Him (God. - Ed.) that which proceeds from Him. " If the tilt of the heads and figures of two angels, directed towards the third, unites them with each other, then their hand gestures are directed to the Eucharistic Chalice with the head of a sacrificial animal standing on a white table, as on a throne. Representing the voluntary sacrifice of the Son of God, she tightens the movements of the hands of the angels, indicating the unity of the will and actions of the Holy Trinity, who made a covenant with Abraham.

Almost identical faces and figures of angels, emphasizing the unity of the nature of the three Divine Hypostases, at the same time indicate that this icon in no way pretends to depict specifically each Person of the Holy Trinity. Like other icons, earlier, this is not an image of the Trinity itself, that is, the three Persons of the Divine, since the Divine is essentially un-depictable. It is the same historical scene (albeit with a minimized historical aspect) that, in the manifestation of the Trinity action in the world, the Divine economy, symbolically reveals the unity and trinity of Godhead. Therefore, with the uniformity of the angels, they are not impersonal, and each of them has definitely expressed its properties in relation to its action in the world.

Angels are placed on the icon in the order of the Symbol of Faith, from left to right: I believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The complete indescribability of the first Hypostasis, to which only stingy and restrained expressions are devoted in the Creed, corresponds to the uncertainty and restraint of the colors of the left angel's outerwear (a pale pink cloak with brown and blue-greenish reflexes). Compared to others, and accurate to the point of historical indication ("under Pontius Pilate"), the presentation of the second Hypostasis corresponds to the clarity and clarity of the colors of the average angel, whose clothing has the usual colors of the incarnated Son of God (purple tunic and blue cloak). Finally, the main color of the third angel is green, the color of his cloak, which, according to St. Dionysius the Areopagite, means "young, in the fullness of strength," definitely indicates the properties of the third Person of the Holy Trinity, which renews everything and revives to a new life. The subtly felt harmony of the colorful relationships of the icon of the Trinity of St. Andrey is one of her main charms. Especially striking is the extraordinary strength and purity of the cornflower blue color of the cloak of the middle angel in combination with golden, ripe rye wings. The crisp and clear color characteristic of the average angel is contrasted with the soft colors of the other two angels; but they burst into them, shining like precious stones, bright spots of blue. Uniting all three figures in terms of color, he, as it were, points to the unity of the nature of the Persons of the Holy Trinity and gives the entire icon a calm and clear joy. Thus, in the colorful combinations of this icon, the same life sounds, which is imbued with its images, forms and lines. “There is an emphasis on the center, and color contrasts, and the balance of parts, and complementary colors, and gradual transitions that take the eye away from saturated color to shimmering gold (background. - L. U.), and above all this is the radiance of a calm, like a cloudless sky, pure cabbage roll. This icon, with its inexhaustible content, harmoniously balanced composition, majestically calm figures of angels, light, summer-like joyful colors, could only be created by a person who calmed anxiety and doubts in his soul and enlightened by the light of theology of God.

Holy Trinity. Russia. XV century. Timing

Icon of St. Andrew remains to this day a classic example of the iconography of the Holy Trinity. Both its basic tones and individual details of the composition and drawing are preserved. Reproduced here is another remarkable image of the Holy Trinity (see p. 305) is an obvious copy from the icon of Rublev. This icon is in the Russian Museum in Leningrad (St. Petersburg. - Ed.) and is considered to have been written no later than the end of the 15th century. Here are the same poses and figures of angels, but they are no longer located in a circle, but almost in a straight line with a barely noticeable selection of the middle one. The almost shoulderless figures are even more feminine than the original. The composition is more static, and the figures of the angels are connected to each other in tone rather than movement. The basic colors of the clothes preserved here are muted and highly generalized. The general tone of this icon is not fresh and clear, like Rublev's, but restrained and warm. Thanks to the enhanced meaning of the background, the whole scene becomes, as it were, closer to the earthly, and the revealed St. For Andrey, in its incomprehensible grandeur, the image here acquires more accessibility, intimacy and warmth.

From the book The Bible of Rajneesh. Volume 2. Book 2 the author Rajneesh Bhagwan Shri

From 1000's of books and one way to be yourself the author Nekrasov Anatoly Alexandrovich

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Icon of the Holy Trinity

Icon of the Holy Trinity Andrei Rublev and Fyodor Ushakov

The holy face for Christian believers plays a very important role, because this icon shows all of humanity what a strong bond can be when you really sincerely believe in it. This icon is only in Orthodoxy. It depicts the three Holy Spirits, who are represented as three travelers who met Abraham.

This image was written with one purpose so that any Christian could clearly see Orthodoxy, which includes the three-solar world. Christian believers, looking at this icon, will be able to understand all the efforts and power of the Lord. After reading this article, you will learn: With the meaning of the image, in which cases prayers are given to it, in which temples it is stored, and so on.

The emergence of the icon

This icon is written according to the plot, which is taken from the Book of Genesis. In this scripture in the eighteenth section, the acquaintance of the three travelers with Abraham, who personify the three natures of the Most High, is described. At first, the main plot of this image was taken from stories taken from the book of Genesis, that is, travelers, Abraham with his wife and various images of their worldly life. It is thanks to this that the image received the second name "A warm welcome at Abraham."

A few years later, cases from reality on the icon began to be understood in a completely different way - an allegory, in which the Holy Spirits (travelers) began to be revered as an image of the Trinity of the Most High, and their meeting with Abraham entered Orthodoxy as the appearance of the Holy Trinity.
This became the basis for creating a couple of basic versions of the image: On one of the versions of the images, the three Holy Spirits are depicted the same, and on the other, an angel stands out, which is depicted in the middle, he is depicted with a large halo on his head, or the symbol of God is written above him.

Before a miraculous way, you can say confessing prayers, because these prayers will immediately be heard by those to whom the person directly makes confession in the temple. In addition, believers turn to the icon when it is necessary to find a way out of difficult tragic and serious situations.

How the holy image helps

The prayers read before the icon are able to help the Christian believer find the true path, cope with various obstacles in life, and much more;
the icon of the Holy Trinity will also help to see the much needed light of faith, and will calm vain worries;
Believers who sincerely believe the miraculous face will help in solving various issues;
Among other things, near this icon, you can receive the forgiveness of sin or the cleansing of negative energy, but only on the condition that the person asking will pray from a pure heart and with sincere faith.

Miracles of the Trinity Icon

The divine image has long been known for its miraculous influence, which has historical confirmation, one of them is associated with the Russian ruler Ivan the Terrible:

On the eve of his departure to the war with the Kazan kingdom, Ivan the Terrible went to the miraculous face, which was in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. From the surviving testimonies, it became known that Ivan the Terrible for a very long time and sincerely asked in prayer in front of the icon for the granting of protection and blessing for victory in a military campaign.

In that campaign, in fact, Ivan the Terrible won a victory, and when he returned home, the tsar again went to the Lavra, in which he spent a long time, praying with prayers to the Almighty for help and protection.

Where is the divine face placed

As the ministers of the church recommend, this icon must be hung in the house at a certain place, and you can place one shrine, or you can also place it with a whole red corner.
In the Christian faith, it is recommended to say the prayer while turning to the east, and based on this, the divine face in the apartment must be hung on the eastern wall. In addition, you need to free up more space in front of the icon. All this is explained by the feeling of complete comfort and immersion of the believer while reading the prayer in front of the miraculous icon, so that the one praying does not feel any inconvenience when communicating with the Lord.
It must also be said that there is one more place where the shrine can be placed, it can be hung over the head by the bed. Thus, the divine face will become the heavenly intercessor for the believer.
But in most Christian houses, the shrine is located on the opposite wall of the entrance to the apartment in order to protect your home from various negativity. But the location of the icon in the house is not so important, because how often and how pure are the thoughts of a person who turns to the Holy Face plays a big role.

You can not only place it on the wall, but also make a special shelf for the Shrine. When you have a couple of miraculous icons in your home red corner, then in this case it is advised to place them a little higher than the rest of the images. There is a legend that says that if the holy images are arranged in the correct order, they can open the way for a person to the kindest and happiest future.

In which temples the face is kept

The icon of the icon painter Andrei Rublev is kept in the city of Tolmachev in the Cathedral of the Wonderworker Nicholas;
Another equally revered copy of the miraculous icon is kept in the Kremlin in the Patriarchal Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Also in Ostankino there is the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity, in which the church's holy face is kept.

Days of veneration and holiday dates

The commemoration of the three Divine wanderers (angels) takes place on the fiftieth day of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, and in Orthodoxy it is called "Pentecost", an event that took place over twenty centuries ago. It was then, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit appeared to the Apostles. And then the New Testament was created, which over time influenced the formation of the Christian faith.

Prayer before the icon

“The life-giving Trinity, the one-existent State, the culprit of all earthly wonders, we thank you for everything that you have sent down to sinners and despised us so far, we live in the world with faith, for everything that you give to each of us every single day, and for the fact that prepared for everyone in a bright future! For such blessings, for all miracles and values, we thank You not only in words, but also in deeds, who keep and fulfill Your covenants: we, however, will reject the Christian teaching from worldly evil, from the innumerable sins and iniquities of those who lived in youth. And for the sake of this, so that the unworthy and sinful, not to appear before Thy Most Holy appearance, shamelessly appear, but not to defile Thy Most Holy Name that dominated over us, and even how You yourself have deigned, to our happiness, proclaimed how the pure and righteous have mercy, and unworthy you have mercy on those who repent and accept them favorably. Hear, O Mighty and Holy Trinity, from your Holy Kingdom of Heaven we, unworthy, and our pious prayer, instead of good deeds, accept; and send us a feeling of true repentance, and having hated any sinful act, in truth and in faith, until the end of our worldly life, fulfilling Your holy command and glorifying Your holy and glorious name with good thoughts and good deeds. Amen."